Attachment for washboards.



M. E. POWERS.

ATTACHMENT FOR WASHBOARDS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 21. I916.

1,W,%5. Patented July 11, 1916.

MAE E. POWERS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ATTACHMENT FOR WASHBOARDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July ill, jwilfi.

Application filed April 21, 1916. Serial No. 92,699.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAE E. POWERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Attachments for l/Vashboards, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in attachments for wash boards and has particular application to a device for protecting the soap from the water during the washing operation.

In carrying out the present invention, 1t is my purpose to provide a device of the class described which may be readily and quickly attached to the wash board in front of the soap holder and which will act to pre vent the water from flowing over the soap during the washing operation, thereby preventing waste of the soap and causing the soapy water to flow back over the articles being rubbed on the board.

It is also my purpose to provide a device of the class described which will embrace the desired features of simplicity, efiiciency and durability, which may be manufactured and marketed at small cost and which may be readily and quickly applied to a wash board and removed therefrom.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts here; inafter set forth in and falling within the scope of the claim.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure is a plan view of a wash board equ1pped with an attachment constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the attachment removed from the wash board.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, 1 designates a wash board of any suitable or preferred construction provided with the usual soap pocket 2 arranged adjacent to the upper end of the board and opening onto the front side thereof.

3 designates my improved attachment. In the present instance, this attachment comprises a single sheet of metal 41: of a length substantially equal to the width of the wash board and of any appropriate or necessary width. One edge of this sheet of metal is adapted to be inserted in the space between the bottom wall of the pocket and the front wall of the wash board, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing, and may be held in this position by the friction between such walls and the metal sheet. Itiveted or otherwise connected to the upper edge of the metal sheet l is a rubber apron 5 that overlies the front of the pocket 2. This apron 5 is, of course, flexible and may be readily bent or outturned so that access may be had to the pocket to place the soap therein and take the soap therefrom.

In practice, the attachment is secured to the wash board as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, and in the use of the board, the apron 5 acts to prevent the soapy water from flowing into the pocket 2 and over the soap therein and at the same time acts to direct the water back over the clothes on the board. Thus, waste of soap is prevented and the soapy water thrown back into the tub over the front of the board.

I claim:

The combination with a wash board having a soap pocket, of a metal sheet having one edge disposed in the space between the bottom wall of the pocket and the front wall of the board and the other edge bent at right angles in line against the bottom wall of the pocket, and an apron secured to the last-mentioned edge of said sheet and projecting outwardly from the board at right angles thereto to prevent the water from being thrown into the pocket and over the soap therein.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

MAE E. POWERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

